Tolkien and Isolationism

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Boromir88

So there would appear to be consequences for being expansionists, as well. Perhaps Tolkien was cautioning about being on the extremes of either end?

Well, yes. Don't be exclusive, but don't force your way onto others, let's just all be friends. A balance that is easier said than done in a real life scenario.

'Well do I understand your speech,' he answered in the same language; 'yet few strangers do so. Why then do you not speak in the Common Tongue, as is the custom in the West, if you wish to be answered?' -TTT, The King of the Golden Hall

...But how long would Rohan and Dunland and all the various other ethnic pockets maintain their own languages that are separate from the Common Speech after Aragorn's globalization? Assuming that the globalization continues after his death and the North and South don't fall apart again, that is.

[William Cloud Hicklin]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

...But how long would Rohan and Dunland and all the various other ethnic pockets maintain their own languages that are separate from the Common Speech after Aragorn's globalization? Assuming that the globalization continues after his death and the North and South don't fall apart again, that is.

They still speak Cantonese in Hong Kong, Swahili in Kenya and Hindi (and 599 more) in India

[paulag]

Your post reminds me of something another fan wrote the first time she read The Silmarilion. The Elves described in that book are more real, with their own bad deeds and jealousies to deal with. For instance Feanor and his sons. For the most part good, but so blinded by what they want that they stoop to do really nasty things, including attempted kidnapping and murder.

As for them being isolationist. I always point out that Tolkien wrote from the perspective of the middle ages. In those days the average man did not leave his village his entire life except if his master called him to war.